“How do you prevent hair loss during radiation treatments?”
I am a 51 year old female. I will be starting radiation for breast cancer. How do you prevent hair loss during radiation treatments?
6 Answers
Radiation therapy to the breast should not cause hair loss on your head.
Breast radiotherapy typically does not cause hair loss. Hair loss (alopecia) is a side effect commonly associated with chemotherapy rather than with radiation therapy. Radiation treatment for breast cancer is localized to the breast area and does not typically affect hair follicles on the scalp. Therefore, patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer usually do not experience hair loss as a direct result of the radiation treatment itself. Sent from Dimitris's iPENN phone
Radiation treatments are local treatments, therefore, for breast treatment, you will not experience hair loss all.
Dr. Joshua N. Halpern
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation will not cause hair loss in non treated areas. Chemotherapy will spread systemically and may cause hair loss. For example, breast irradiation will not cause any hair loss, except for the armpit, only if the armpit area is treated.
Breast radiation therapy does not cause hair loss from the scalp. It may cause hair loss from the arm pit on the side getting radiation.
You should not have hair loss from radiation to the breast. You only have hair loss when you receive radiation treatment to the head
